A scope of sociolinguistics

Lecture 1. Introduction to the subject

Sociolinguistics is a new branch of philology which deals with all the varieties of language. Usually people are separated by social categories, such as: status, religion, ethnicity, gender, education, age, etc. Applying some linguistics and sociology rules, scholars categorize speakers into social classes. For example, dialect is a variety of language but it is difficult to objectively decide whether two speech communities of the same nation should be classed as bearers of separate languages or separate dialects. Other speech varieties include: standard languages, which are standardized for public performance (for example, a written standard); jargons, which are characterized by differences in lexicon (vocabulary); slang; patois; pidgins or argots.

Scholars say, when one language varies from place to place it seems to have split into dialect s; when the same language varies among different social classes, it makes sociolects. Ethnolect is a variety of language spoken by a certain cultural subgroup and serves as a distinguishing mark of a social identity. And finally, when the same language varies among the speakers, living in different countries, and regions in diction, lexicon, and grammar it makes separate languages.

Sociolinguistics is a scientific discipline which developed on the basis of linguistics and sociology, social psychology and ethnography. It studies a complex of problems connected with the social nature of a language, its public functioning, its social factors causing some influence upon the language role, it plays in the life of society.

Another basic problem of sociolinguistics is a social differentiation of languages on all levels, namely: the interrelation between language and social structures. Both are multiple and include stratification (i.e. singling out social layers). The study of language variation is concerned with social constraints (i.e. limiting factors) determining language in its contextual environment. Code-switching is the term given to the use of different language varieties in different social situations.

Context is another notion which is analyzed in sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, pragmatics, semiotics, etc. in two different ways, namely:

a) verbal context which refers to the surrounding expressions of a text or a talk, be it a word, phrase, sentence, conversational turn, speech act. Verbal context influences the way we understand the expression;

b) social context in sociolinguistics, was defined in terms of objective social 'variables', such as class, gender, or race. More recently, social contexts tend to be defined in terms of social identity being construed (истолковывать) and displayed in the text and talk by language users.

. Language situation is also a key concept of sociolinguistics. It is defined as a set of language forms (regional koine, territorial and social), serving a continuum of dialogue in a certain ethnic community or administrative territorial region.